Fuel supply system and vehicle

Abstract

To provide a new fuel supply system and vehicle capable of cooling a battery.SOLUTION: The present invention is a fuel supply system that supplies fuel to a first power source of a vehicle equipped with a battery. The fuel supply system includes a tank, a carburetor, a cooling device, and a supply part. The tank stores fuel in a liquid state. The carburetor is connected to the tank and changes the fuel in the liquid state into fuel in a gaseous state. The supply part is connected to the carburetor and supplies the fuel in the gaseous state to the first power source. The first power source generates power using the fuel in the gaseous state. The cooling device is connected to the tank and cools the battery using the fuel in the liquid state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel supply system and a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A known example of an invention relating to a conventional fuel supply system is a vehicle power supply device described in Patent Document 1. In this vehicle power supply device, the battery pack is cooled by air. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-219949 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Thus, in the field of fuel supply systems, there has been a demand for cooling the battery.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a new fuel supply system and vehicle capable of cooling a battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first aspect is A fuel supply system for supplying fuel to a first power source of a vehicle having a battery, The fuel supply system includes a tank, a carburetor, a cooling device, and a supply unit, The tank contains fuel in a liquid state; the carburetor is connected to the tank and converts the liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel; the supply unit is connected to the carburetor and supplies the gaseous fuel to the first power source; the first power source generates power using the gaseous fuel; the cooling device is connected to the tank and cools the battery with the liquid fuel; A fuel supply system.

[0007] The second aspect is, The cooling device is connected to the supply unit, and the liquid fuel that has cooled the battery in the cooling device is changed into a gaseous fuel and then supplied to the supply unit. or The cooling device is connected to the carburetor, and the liquid fuel that has cooled the battery in the cooling device is supplied to the carburetor. 1 is a fuel supply system according to a first aspect. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the battery can be cooled. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle 1. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the fuel supply system 10. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart executed by the control device 40. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the fuel supply system 10a. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the vehicle 1a. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the vehicle 1b. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] (Embodiment) [Vehicle 1 Structure] The structure of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the vehicle 1. In Fig. 1, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the vehicle 1 are simply referred to as the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction, respectively.

[0011] The vehicle 1 is, for example, a four-wheeled vehicle. The vehicle 1 is a hybrid vehicle. The vehicle 1 includes a first power source 26, a battery 36, a generator 50, a second power source 52, an inverter 54, a power transmission device 56, a left front wheel 58L, and a right front wheel 58R.

[0012] The first power source 26 is used as a power source for the vehicle 1. The first power source 26 generates power using gaseous fuel. More specifically, the first power source 26 is an internal combustion engine that burns gaseous fuel. In this embodiment, the first power source 26 is a four-stroke engine that uses ammonia as fuel. Note that the first power source 26 is an engine having one or more cylinders, but is generally an engine having multiple cylinders. When the first power source 26 is an engine having multiple cylinders, the multiple cylinders are arranged in one row, two rows, or four rows.

[0013] The battery 36 is a rechargeable and dischargeable secondary battery, for example, a lithium ion battery.

[0014] The generator 50 is connected to the first power source 26. The generator 50 generates electric power using a part of the driving force of the first power source 26.

[0015] The inverter 54 charges the battery 36 and drives the second power source 52. More specifically, the inverter 54 converts the AC current generated by the generator 50 into a DC current and supplies the DC current to the battery 36. This charges the battery 36. The inverter 54 also converts the DC current supplied by the battery 36 into an AC current and supplies the AC current to the second power source 52.

[0016] The second power source 52 is driven by power supplied from the battery 36. The second power source 52 is, for example, an AC motor.

[0017] At least a portion of the power generated by the first power source 26 is output to the power transmission device 56. In addition, the power generated by the second power source 52 is output to the power transmission device 56. The power transmission device 56 transmits at least a portion of the power generated by the first power source 26 and the power generated by the second power source 52 to the left front wheel 58L and the right front wheel 58R. At this time, the power transmission device 56 reduces the rotational speed of the first power source 26 and the rotational speed of the second power source 52. Such a power transmission device 56 is, for example, a CVT (continuously variable transmission), a reduction gear, and a differential device.

[0018] [Structure of fuel supply system 10] Next, the fuel supply system 10 will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] The vehicle 1 is equipped with a fuel supply system 10 shown in Fig. 2. The fuel supply system 10 supplies fuel to a first power source 26 of the vehicle 1 that is equipped with a battery 36. The fuel supply system 10 includes a tank 12, a valve 14, a carburetor 16, a supply unit 17, a first valve 30, a cooling device 32, a one-way valve 34, a temperature sensor 38, and a control device 40.

[0020] The tank 12 contains fuel in a liquid state. In this embodiment, the tank 12 contains ammonia in a liquid state. The vaporizer 16 is connected to the tank 12 via a pipe. The valve 14 is provided in the pipe connecting the tank 12 and the vaporizer 16. The valve 14 switches between supplying the liquid fuel from the tank 12 to the vaporizer 16 and blocking the liquid fuel. The vaporizer 16 changes the liquid fuel supplied from the tank 12 into gaseous fuel. The vaporizer 16 changes the liquid fuel into gaseous fuel, for example, by heating the liquid fuel.

[0021] The supply unit 17 is connected to the carburetor 16. The supply unit 17 supplies gaseous fuel to the first power source 26. In this embodiment, the supply unit 17 includes a regulator 18, a one-way valve 20, a surge tank 22, an injector 24, and a plurality of pipes.

[0022] The regulator 18 is connected to the carburetor 16 via a pipe. The regulator 18 reduces the pressure of the gaseous fuel supplied from the carburetor 16. The one-way valve 20 is connected to the regulator 18 via a pipe. The one-way valve 20 prevents the gaseous fuel supplied from the regulator 18 from flowing back to the regulator 18.

[0023] The surge tank 22 is connected to the one-way valve 20 via a pipe. The cross-sectional area of ​​the surge tank 22 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe connecting the one-way valve 20 and the surge tank 22 and the cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe connecting the surge tank 22 and an injector 24 described below. The cross-sectional area is the area of ​​a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the gaseous fuel flows. The surge tank 22 stores the gaseous fuel that has passed through the one-way valve 20.

[0024] The injector 24 is connected to the surge tank 22 via a pipe. The injector 24 injects gaseous fuel into an intake path (not shown) connected to a first power source 26. Air flows through the intake path. This generates a mixture of gaseous fuel and air. The mixture flows into the first power source 26 and is combusted by the first power source 26.

[0025] The cooling device 32 is connected to the tank 12 via a pipe. The first valve 30 is provided in the pipe connecting the tank 12 and the cooling device 32. That is, the first valve 30 is provided between the tank 12 and the cooling device 32. The first valve 30 switches between supplying liquid fuel from the tank 12 to the cooling device 32 and cutting off the supply of liquid fuel.

[0026] The cooling device 32 cools the battery 36 with liquid fuel. More specifically, the cooling device 32 is a pipe that contacts the battery 36. The cooling device 32 has a zigzag shape. This increases the area of ​​contact between the cooling device 32 and the battery 36. The liquid fuel cools the battery 36 by passing through the cooling device 32. At this time, the liquid fuel is changed into gaseous fuel by heat generated by the battery 36. As a result, the heat of vaporization of the liquid fuel is used to cool the battery 36.

[0027] The one-way valve 34 is connected to the cooling device 32 via a pipe. The one-way valve 34 prevents the gaseous fuel supplied from the cooling device 32 from flowing back into the cooling device 32.

[0028] Moreover, the one-way valve 34 is connected to the supply unit 17 via a pipe. More specifically, the one-way valve 34 is connected to a pipe that connects the one-way valve 20 and the surge tank 22 via a pipe. As a result, the cooling device 32 is connected to the supply unit 17 via the two pipes and the one-way valve 34. Then, the liquid fuel that has cooled the battery 36 in the cooling device 32 is changed to gaseous fuel and then supplied to the supply unit 17. The gaseous fuel supplied from the cooling device 32 is combusted in the first power source 26, similar to the gaseous fuel supplied from the carburetor 16.

[0029] The temperature sensor 38 is in contact with the battery 36. In this embodiment, the temperature sensor 38 is in contact with a terminal of the battery 36. The temperature sensor 38 outputs a detection signal indicative of the temperature of the battery 36. When the temperature of the battery 36 rises, the voltage of the detection signal rises.

[0030] The control device 40 is an ECU (Electric Control Unit). The control device 40 is realized by a combination of multiple electronic components and a circuit board. The control device 40 switches between opening and closing the valve 14 and the first valve 30. Specifically, the control device 40 opens the first valve 30 when the temperature indicated by the detection signal is higher than a predetermined temperature, and closes the first valve 30 when the temperature indicated by the detection signal is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature.

[0031] [Operation of fuel supply system 10] The operation of the fuel supply system 10 will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 3 is a flowchart executed by the control device 40. The control device 40 executes a program stored in a storage device (not shown) to perform the processes described below.

[0032] This process is started when the driver starts the operation of first power source 26. Specifically, the driver presses the starter button to start the starter. At this time, control device 40 opens valve 14. As a result, gaseous fuel is supplied to first power source 26 via carburetor 16, injector 24, etc., and first power source 26 starts.

[0033] Next, the control device 40 acquires a detection signal from the temperature sensor 38 (step S1). The control device 40 judges whether the temperature indicated by the detection signal is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature (step S2). The predetermined temperature is, for example, 40°C. In the case where the battery 36 is a lithium-ion battery, when the temperature inside the battery 36 becomes equal to or higher than 65°C, deterioration of chemical substances inside the battery 36 occurs. Therefore, the temperature sensor 38 is in contact with the terminals of the battery 36, and it is judged whether the temperature of the terminals of the battery 36 is equal to or higher than 40°C, thereby judging whether the temperature inside the battery 36 is equal to or higher than 65°C. In step S2, the control device 40 judges whether cooling of the battery 36 is necessary. If the temperature indicated by the detection signal is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the process proceeds to step S3. If the temperature indicated by the detection signal is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the process proceeds to step S4.

[0034] When the temperature indicated by the detection signal is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the control device 40 opens the first valve 30 (step S3). As a result, the liquid fuel is supplied from the tank 12 to the cooling device 32. Therefore, the battery 36 is cooled by the liquid fuel. After that, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0035] If the temperature indicated by the detection signal is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the control device 40 closes the first valve 30 (step S4). This prevents liquid fuel from being supplied from the tank 12 to the cooling device 32. Therefore, the battery 36 is not cooled by the liquid fuel. After this, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0036] In step S5, the control device 40 judges whether or not to end this process (step S5). Specifically, the control device 40 judges whether or not the driver stops the first power source 26. If this process does not end, the process returns to step S1. If this process ends, the control device 40 closes the valve 14.

[0037] [effect] In the fuel supply system 10, the cooling device 32 uses liquid fuel to cool the battery 36. The specific heat of liquid fuel is generally greater than the specific heat of air. Therefore, the battery 36 can be efficiently cooled.

[0038] In the fuel supply system 10, the battery 36 can be cooled even when the vehicle 1 is stopped. More specifically, the cooling device 32 is connected to the tank 12, and cools the battery 36 with liquid fuel. Therefore, in the fuel supply system 10, even when the vehicle 1 is stopped, liquid fuel is supplied from the tank 12 to the cooling device 32. Therefore, even when the vehicle 1 is stopped, the cooling device 32 can cool the battery 36.

[0039] In the fuel supply system 10, the liquid fuel that has cooled the battery 36 in the cooling device 32 is changed to gaseous fuel and then supplied to the supply unit 17. Therefore, it is not necessary to vaporize the liquid fuel that has cooled the battery in the cooling device 32. In addition, since the heat of vaporization of the liquid fuel is utilized to cool the battery 36, the battery 36 is efficiently cooled.

[0040] In the fuel supply system 10, the control device 40 opens the first valve 30 when the temperature indicated by the detection signal is higher than a predetermined temperature, and closes the first valve 30 when the temperature indicated by the detection signal is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature. As a result, the battery 36 is cooled by the cooling device 32 when the battery 36 is in a high temperature state.

[0041] The fuel supply system 10 includes a surge tank 22. The surge tank 22 can store gaseous fuel, thereby suppressing fluctuations in the pressure of the gaseous fuel supplied to the injector 24.

[0042] In the fuel supply system 10, the first power source 26 combusts the fuel that has passed through the cooling device 32. This prevents a decrease in fuel efficiency of the vehicle 1 caused by the fuel that has passed through the cooling device 32 not being used. In addition, the fuel that has passed through the cooling device 32 is prevented from being released into the atmosphere.

[0043] (First Modification) A fuel supply system 10a according to a first modified example will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the fuel supply system 10a.

[0044] The fuel supply system 10a differs from the fuel supply system 10 in the following points. The fuel supply system 10a further includes a one-way valve 21. The cooling device 32 is connected to the evaporator 16 via two pipes and a one-way valve 34 .

[0045] One-way valve 21 is provided in a pipe connecting valve 14 and carburetor 16. Furthermore, first valve 30 is connected via a pipe to a pipe connecting valve 14 and one-way valve 21. One-way valve 34 is connected via a pipe to a pipe connecting one-way valve 21 and carburetor 16. As a result, the liquid fuel that has cooled battery 36 in cooling device 32 is supplied to carburetor 16.

[0046] The fuel supply system 10a as described above can achieve the same effects as the fuel supply system 10.

[0047] Moreover, according to the fuel supply system 10a, the cooling device 32 is connected to the vaporizer 16. As a result, even if the liquid fuel does not change into gaseous fuel in the cooling device 32, the liquid fuel that has passed through the cooling device 32 is changed into gaseous fuel in the vaporizer 16. Therefore, the liquid fuel that has passed through the cooling device 32 is combusted by the first power source 26 as gaseous fuel.

[0048] (Second Modification) A vehicle 1a according to the second modified example will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the vehicle 1a.

[0049] Vehicle 1a differs from vehicle 1 in that the power of first power source 26 is used for generating power, and is not used for rotating left front wheel 58L and right front wheel 58R. Generator 50 generates power using power from first power source 26. Inverter 54 converts AC current generated by generator 50 into DC current and supplies the DC current to battery 36. Thus, battery 36 is charged by the power generated by generator 50. In addition, inverter 54 converts DC current generated by battery 36 into AC current and supplies the AC current to second power source 52. Second power source 52 is driven by the AC current supplied from inverter 54.

[0050] The power generated by second power source 52 is output to power transmission device 56. Power transmission device 56 transmits the power generated by second power source 52 to left front wheel 58L and right front wheel 58R.

[0051] The vehicle 1a as described above is equipped with the fuel supply system 10 or the fuel supply system 10a. The fuel supply system 10 or the fuel supply system 10a of the vehicle 1a is the same as the fuel supply system 10 shown in Fig. 2 or the fuel supply system 10a shown in Fig. 4, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0052] The vehicle 1a as described above can achieve the same effects as the vehicle 1.

[0053] (Third Modification) A vehicle 1b according to the third modified example will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the vehicle 1b.

[0054] Vehicle 1b differs from vehicle 1 in that vehicle 1b is a fuel cell vehicle. More specifically, tank 12 contains hydrogen in a liquid state. Vehicle 1b includes a fuel supply system 10b. Fuel supply system 10b includes a supply unit 17. Supply unit 17 is a pipe 29. First power source 26 includes a fuel cell stack 26a, a power control unit 26b, and a motor 26c.

[0055] Fuel cell stack 26a is connected to vaporizer 16 via piping 29. Fuel cell stack 26a generates electric power by chemically reacting gaseous fuel (hydrogen) supplied from vaporizer 16 with oxygen. Power control unit 26b switches between supplying the electric power generated by fuel cell stack 26a to motor 26c, supplying the electric power generated by fuel cell stack 26a to battery 36, and supplying the electric power supplied from battery 36 to motor 26c. As a result, motor 26c is driven by the electric power generated by fuel cell stack 26a or the electric power supplied from battery 36. In addition, battery 36 is charged by the electric power generated by fuel cell stack 26a.

[0056] The structures of the first valve 30, cooling device 32, temperature sensor 38 and control device 40 of vehicle 1b are the same as those of the first valve 30, cooling device 32, temperature sensor 38 and control device 40 of vehicle 1, so description thereof will be omitted.

[0057] The vehicle 1b as described above can achieve the same effects as the vehicle 1.

[0058] (Other embodiments) The fuel supply system and vehicle according to the present invention are not limited to the fuel supply system 10, 10a and the vehicle 1, 1a, 1b, and may be modified within the scope of the invention. In addition, the structures of the fuel supply system 10, 10a and the vehicle 1, 1a, 1b may be combined in any manner.

[0059] In the fuel supply system 10, 10a, the fuel may be hydrogen. In this case, the first power source 26 is a hydrogen engine that burns hydrogen to generate power.

[0060] Instead of the surge tank 22, a serpentine pipe may be used.

[0061] There are situations in which the vehicle 1 travels a short distance using the second power source 52 and the battery 36 needs to be cooled. For example, such situations are when the driver drives the vehicle 1 to a nearby location in summer. In such situations, the battery 36 is not charged by driving the first power source 26 while liquid fuel is being supplied to the cooling device 32. In other words, when the cooling device 32 is cooling the battery 36, the battery 36 is not charged. This prevents the temperature of the battery 36 from rising due to charging.

[0062] In the fuel supply system 10 and the vehicles 1, 1a, and 1b, when the control device 40 opens the first valve 30, the control device 40 also opens the valve 14. However, the control device 40 may open the first valve 30 and close the valve 14.

[0063] The fuel is not limited to hydrogen and ammonia, so long as it is stored in a liquid state in the tank 12 and is used in a gaseous state in the first power source 26. The fuel may be, for example, a fuel containing hydrogen atoms.

[0064] When the fuel is ammonia, the unburned ammonia discharged from the first power source 26 may be rendered harmless by, for example, a catalyst.

[0065] The control device 40 may open the first valve 30 when the temperature indicated by the detection signal is higher than a predetermined temperature, and close the first valve 30 when the temperature indicated by the detection signal is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature. That is, the control device 40 may open the first valve 30 when the temperature indicated by the detection signal is higher than the predetermined temperature, and close the first valve 30 when the temperature indicated by the detection signal is lower than the predetermined temperature. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1, 1a, 1b: Vehicle 10, 10a, 10b: Fuel supply system 12: Tank 14: Valve 16: Carburetor 17: Supply department 18: Regulator 20,21: One-way valve 22: Surge tank 24: Injector 26: 1st power source 26a: Fuel cell stack 26b: Power control unit 26c: Motor 29: Piping 30: First valve 32: Cooling device 34: One-way valve 36: Battery 38: Temperature sensor 40: Control device 50: Generator 52:Second power source 54: Inverter 56: Power transmission device 58L: Left front wheel 58R: Right front wheel

Claims

1. 1. A fuel supply system for supplying fuel to a first power source of a vehicle having a battery, comprising: The fuel supply system includes a tank, a carburetor, a cooling device, and a supply unit, The tank contains fuel in a liquid state; the carburetor is connected to the tank and converts the liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel; the supply unit is connected to the carburetor and supplies the gaseous fuel to the first power source; the first power source generates power using the gaseous fuel; the cooling device is connected to the tank and cools the battery with the liquid fuel; Fuel supply system.

2. The cooling device is connected to the supply unit, and the liquid fuel that has cooled the battery in the cooling device is changed into a gaseous fuel and then supplied to the supply unit. or The cooling device is connected to the carburetor, and the liquid fuel that has cooled the battery in the cooling device is supplied to the carburetor.

2. The fuel delivery system of claim 1.

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